History of Gujarát: Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Volume I, Part I.Campbell, James M.
History
History of Gujarát: Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Volume I, Part I.
Campbell, James M.
Gujarat (India) -- History
[Ahmed II. 1554-1561.] On the death of Burhán, the nobles elected
as sovereign a descendant of the stock of Áhmed Sháh of the name
of Áhmed Khán, and proclaimed him king by the title of Áhmed Sháh
II. At the same time they agreed that, as the king was young, [Ítimád
Khán Regent.] Ítimád Khán should carry on the government and they
further divided the country among themselves, each one undertaking
to protect the frontiers and preserve the public peace. Mubárak Sháh
of Khándesh, considering this a good opportunity, preferred a claim
to the crown and marched to the frontier. An army led by the chief
Gujarát nobles and accompanied by the young king met the invaders at
the village of Ránpur Kotriá in Broach, the Gujarát army encamping
on the north bank and the Khándesh army on the south bank of the
Narbada. Násir-ul-Mulk, one of the Gujarát nobles, taking certain
of his friends into his confidence, determined to remain neutral
till the battle was over and then to fall on the exhausted troops
and possess himself of both kingdoms. Sayad Mubárak, a descendant of
the saint Sháhi Álam, who led the van of the Gujarát army, becoming
aware of Násir-ul-Mulk's design opened communications with Mubárak
Sháh of Khándesh and induced him to withdraw. [810] Násir-ul-Mulk,
who still aspired to supreme power, gaining several nobles to his
side near Baroda, surprised and defeated the forces of Ítimád Khán
and Sayad Mubárak. The Sayad withdrew to his estate of Kapadvanj and
he was joined by Ítimád Khán, while Násir-ul-Mulk, taking Sultán
Áhmed with him to Áhmedábád, assumed the entire government of the
country. After a short time he assembled an army and marched against
Sayad Mubárak and Ítimád Khán encamping at Kamand, the village now
called Od Kámod, ten miles north-east of Áhmedábád at the head of
50,000 horse. Ítimád feared to attack so strong a force. But Sayad
Mubárak, who knew of the defection of Ulugh Khán and Imád-ul-Mulk,
surprised Násir-ul-Mulk's army at night. During the confusion Ulugh
Khán and Imád-ul-Mulk, disgusted with the assumption of Násir-ul-Mulk,
deserted him and bringing the young Sultán with them joined Sayad
Mubárak and Ítimád Khán. Násir-ul-Mulk was forced to fly, and after
a short time died in the mountains of Pál. [811] Ikhtiyár-ul-Mulk,
Fateh Khán Balúch, and Hasan Khán Dakhani now set up another king, a
descendant of Áhmed, named Sháhu. A battle was fought near Mehmúdábád
in which Sháhu and his supporters were defeated and Hasan Khán Dakhani
was slain. Before the battle Fateh Khán Balúch had been induced to
forsake Sháhu, and Ikhtiyár-ul-Mulk, taking Sháhu with him, fled. The
nobles now divided Gujarát into the following shares:
[Partition of the Province.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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